WaterNSW wins major water sector safety award

WaterNSW’s Remote Video Monitoring initiative won the Australian Water Association’s (AWA) Water Industry Safety Excellence Award at the prestigious annual Australian Water Awards ceremony on Wednesday (27 May).

Developed in collaboration with HCLTech, the initiative uses an AI-enabled monitoring platform to deliver real‑time insights across critical water infrastructure, improving safety, reducing manual intervention and supporting smarter operational decision-making.

Importantly the project reduces the on-site hazards faced by WaterNSW personnel and contractors who work to operate and maintain major infrastructure critical to water capture and delivery across the state.

It is also delivering broader benefits by supporting improved environmental outcomes, including protecting native species and strengthening the health of waterways.

WaterNSW CEO Andrew George said the project demonstrates how innovation was helping set a new benchmark for safer and more effective utility operations

“This award reflects the capability, collaboration and strong safety culture across our teams — from planning and safety specialists through to the crews working on our assets every day,” he said.

“It also shows what’s possible when we bring together technology and expertise to improve safety, enhance how we operate our infrastructure, and deliver better outcomes for the communities and environments we serve.”